THE PROBLEM OF EVIL.
Philosophical question: why does God allow suffering to occur? Why do people have to go through painful experiences? Are things beyond his control, or does God simply not care about what happens to humans and other creatures that dwell on his creation?
Seth was expecting one or two people to question his faith by asking about various subjects. It is, after all, a troubling concept that has been bothering him for a while, especially with an omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient entity.
Father Seth looked at him, contemplating his answer. He knew that it was a difficult question that could be easily answered with a sentence alone by speaking what he thought, but these types of questions are also important because they help anyone examine their beliefs and learn more about themselves.
This is something to consider seriously and be respectful of the audience. He needs to give thoughtful replies instead of glib responses; otherwise, they'll see through his charade, "There is one reason and only one," pointing to the air, "because he doesn't want us to become simple machines that function only through pure logic and reasoning alone. He wants us to use our imagination, creativity, and empathy."
Confused of what he meant by that, the priest inquired further, "How does it apply to why suffering exists?" Narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the founder, "Why can't God just come down and fix all this mess? Surely just because suffering exists doesn't mean we deserve to experience it," he said expressing his opinion.
Leaning back on his chair, the founder continued explaining, "That may be true, but think of it this way. If suffering didn't exist, then what would we become?"Challenging the person in return for their questions, "Will we become dull-minded and unthinking individuals who can't imagine things, nor show creative thinking of any sort, and never have true understanding of what is evil or good?" looking down to his plate, "Moreover, we can never empathize with others, including animals," observing the reactions to these statements made by himself.
Several whispers of doubt echoed among the brothers and fathers; some weren't convinced, while others appeared to understand Seth's point. This was indeed an interesting development that had unfolded. Not only are they in the middle of dining, but they are having philosophical debate within their midst.
But the priest wasn't having any of it when he clenched his fists and angrily raised them with one swift motion before dropping them onto the table. "Then what about my sister, who got killed!" Slapping the wooden surface repeatedly in his outrage, he said, "She was innocent and never deserved that horrible treatment! All she did was ask a soldier from the empire only to be gang raped and stabbed by that monster in armor!"
Others also became outraged for various reasons, from sympathizing with him to ridiculing the priest who had dared to insult their beloved founder. It became tense for a while, to the point that many shouted among one another, trying to get through others and convince them of their own ideals.
Seth simply watched everyone involved, sadness in his expression but also understanding that there is no absolute right or wrong way to handle situations. "We are all sinners," he said softly, causing all to cease their argument and look upon him.
Raising his right hand to reveal his palm, "our hands are dirty," referring to the meaning of the stain and blemishes of committing crimes against others, "we have no control over our desires and urges but our willpower or faith; that is something we choose to control or not. The consequences are what make us aware of our mistakes; the only thing we can do is learn from our actions and strive for betterment," making strong points in what he's saying.
However, the angered priest objected with rage, "But what about justice!? Doesn't our Lord care what happens to the innocent in this world!? What about her life and happiness!?" Questioning in wrath as tears filled his eyes while clenching onto the edges of the table, "Where is justice for those who suffer injustice? How can a God be considered loving if he allowed that to happen?"
His hurt throbbed in pain; the images of people getting hurt, tortured, raped, or murdered all played before him. Those poor souls that cry out for salvation, a savior to save them from hellish existence, a chance to have redemption from their misery and grief.
But sometimes, those who commit terrible things do not receive any punishment for what they've done, whether they have political power or are feared by many. And yet, some have a change of heart that has granted forgiveness to them.
Both the victim and the redeemed individual find peace by reconciling with one another, leading them to accept that sometimes bad things happen to good people, and that's okay. No one has a perfect life, and no one can control what happens to them.
Even evil people have bad things happen to them. It's a cruel reality that they all have to deal with, whether they like it or not, as the sins blacken the hearts and souls of mankind. No one is truly safe or immune to its influence, for it can strike anywhere at any given time.
Despite this, Seth truly believes in God's infinite love and mercy and believes that all can be saved regardless of how awful their sin is. He had complete trust and belief in the divine power to turn everything around and make it better. Because that is the reason why man was created in the first place.
They are flawed, but they can be fixed; that is how it has always been. No one is born evil and wicked; they became influenced by the whispering allure of Satan, blinding their humanity and turning them into mindless monsters of pure malice.
Expressing tiredness in his voice, he lowered his raised hand and stared directly at the enraged priest. "There is justice, and that is justice mortality," the truth Seth believes wholeheartedly, "which means all living beings will die one day. That is how it has always been; that is how it will always be," he continued, continuing his statement as the young man stared at him in melancholy.
Some of the priests became surprised at hearing Seth's words; others also seemed to agree but remain neutral. This is how the world operates, and all beings can do is live, grow old, and die. There is no going back in life, and they all have to face death in the end.
Because no matter how much they try to think, the consequences and crimes a man tries to flee from will eventually catch up to him once the moment of his death comes. He will have to pay for them whether it is now, later, or when he meets the afterlife itself, unless he changes his heart and becomes a greater person than he ever was.
No one is untouchable, and no one is exempted from receiving death. "We are all mortals, so whatever actions we took before death will catch up to us once our soul departs to the afterlife," said the priest, who had voiced anger and outrage in his grief and simply fell silent, staring down on his meal when he recalled his younger sister, who passed away in a violent way.
"Then she will get justice." The priest sadistically laughed as the memory of his sibling flashed within his mind. His entire body shook, as did the image of her smiling face while lying in a pool of crimson. He gritted his teeth. "What about now? Why can't I get justice?" Revenge filled his mind.
Shaking his head, he inquired with a firm tone, "Don't hate your enemies; learn to forgive and love them so you can find peace for yourself." Seth's words shocked some of the men while also making others angry for not understanding their frustration: "What happened to her is very unfortunate, and you have every right to be upset and angry, but you mustn't let hatred consume your soul or you will end up hurting yourself even more."
Another man snorted, "How can we forgive a monster when he continues living without any consequences?" The bearded male replied calmly, though his inner fury was clear: "He might've changed for the better, but that doesn't mean we have to forgive him," true to his word, while also leaning back on his seat.
Frowning in dissatisfaction, Seth glanced at the man and said, "It's not easy to forgive, especially when it is a heinous crime. Yet, we need to leave room for God's righteous wrath and justice to punish those who still refuse in accepting the chance of becoming better," he said, taking a few pieces of salad with a fork into his mouth before chewing softly.
Silence once again entered as all listened attentively to their leader, whose life has been greatly impactful to many who know him personally. "Let me tell you a story," the young founder told after finishing his salad. "It's about a man who lost his son during a siege of a castle during war," Seth started with narration as all the priests looked up to him. "One day, that man swore vengeance against the enemy responsible for his son's murder, and he spent years hunting them down for their crime."
They listened intently, curious to know more and learn more about this tale. The others are interested in how it all ends. "However, because of his rage and self-loathing, the man couldn't find peace when he killed the person responsible," stating as some were surprised while few understood why it came to be, "then, in order to find solace within himself, the man needed to kill anyone responsible for his son's death." He paused, glancing at all of them carefully.
"Unaware of his madness, he also made their families and friends grieve in loss. And worst of all, many people's lives were also negatively affected by his actions," describing the kind of repercussions such a crusade entails. "It may not affect some, for they could not have loved ones, but nonetheless, every human being needs someone to connect to. Everyone has feelings and emotions; they have needs and wants that they crave. For when your loved ones are dead, you will mourn for them," Seth looked down, sadness displayed in his face.
He continued the narrative: "The man saw himself as a hero of his own story, someone who seeks vengeance for his slain child and is satisfied, but deep down, he is still hurting because of what is done and is done, where instead of finding healing and solace, he continued the path of vengeance until the consequences eventually catch up to him," sighing with a hint of pity.
Sitting forward on the table, he eyed everyone in his vicinity and said, "His soul never found peace due to the hatred he harbored towards responsibility. His mind and body rotted to the point of descending into insanity. And now, he is nothing but a husk of a shell, wondering why he is even alive to begin with?"
A smile slowly appeared on his face, looking up in the ceiling with praying hands. "But when he found God, knowing there is a creator who cares for and loves him, he found a new purpose in his life, and his heart was filled with hope that he could make amends for his horrible sins," he said, closing his eyes when a single tear rolled down his cheek.
"But unfortunately, he realized that what is done cannot be undone. However, the man did find closure and is living his best life by forgiving the person who killed his son, having his dark heart finally free, and no longer being burdened by the past. Now, that very man is spending time with God and doing his best to improve his lifestyle to be worthy of joining his son in heaven."
As he lowered his head to them, he said, "So, you see, we should never let our vengeance or hatred blind us. We must always have faith and learn to forgive by bringing God into our lives. This way, we can find peace and live a fulfilling life. a life with less hatred or pain. The life of true freedom to do anything, be whoever we want, and believe whatever we want," resulting in everyone watching him in silence.
For all had conflicting looks, even the one who lost his sister was still contemplating this, for it is true that he can feel his heart filled with sorrow and revenge in learning the details. This made him think deeply about what Seth has said, as well as wonder if it was a wise decision to follow the advice.
But then he asked another question, this time more reasonable than before: "Can't our God create a better world with less evil?" No longer did the priest have anger in his face, just pure grief and curiosity, which were obvious in his question.
Taking a sip of wine, Seth exhaled in relaxation: "God tried to make a perfect world, but man always found a way to sin when the devil introduced it." He stated the truth, resulting in all gasping at such a revelation: "The world isn't perfect anymore; the heavenly father still loves all his children despite the imperfections. Because of that, we should love one another," he instructed, smiling happily at them with kindness emanating from his body language.
